The Twilight Connection: RokuNami Week 2019 Stories
by SirAngelo
Summary: A series of short stories centered around Roxas, Namine, and their relationship. Updates daily, Aug 30 through Sept 5. Happy RokuNami Week everyone!
1. Summer Vacation

_**I enjoyed being a part of SoKai Week so much, that I would be remissed if I didn't rep the other best pairing and Kingdom Hearts, that being RokuNami!**_

_**It's the best Kingdom Hearts pairing involving two blondes. Don't argue, that's just science.**_

_**Anyways, Happy RokuNami Week, everyone!**_

* * *

Summertime had come, and Roxas couldn't be more excited. He had been waiting for this season to come for a long time. Of course, curse his rotten luck, he had to be revived in the middle of autumn – the longest possible time before summer. But finally, finally, the blond's favourite season had arrived, bringing with it all the things Roxas loved the most. The heat, the sun, the surf and the sand; long days to spend at your leisure. Week after week of freedom and infinite possibility for fun and excitement.

And, of course, most important of all, long days which Roxas got to spend with Namine.

It hadn't taken much time following their respective revivals for the two ex-Nobodies to bear their hearts to each other after their revival, but the past eight months hadn't exactly proven the smoothest of sailing for the newly minted couple. From the rigours of getting use to everyday life – getting to use to life, in general, really – to Keyblade training (Namine having earned hers at the start of the New Year), to questing to find more lost and departed people, to school (oh boy, did Roxas underestimate what being plunked right into the middle of a formal education would actually mean).

The new life provided from the two Nobodies had proven busy. Hectic. There wasn't always as much time as Roxas would like to spend with his beloved.

But summer would change that. Days and weeks and months with just him and the sweet, quiet, lovely, intelligent blonde witch he held dear to his heart.

And that's why, Roxas was more than excited and intrigued when Namine told him she had arranged for something to do during the last week of June, when classes and exams finally came to an end. What that "something" was, Roxas had no idea. His girlfriend was being beyond coy about the matter. All she told him was to pack his suitcase with a couple days of clothes and to meet at her place; she would provide for the rest.

Roxas didn't know what to expect, but he did as he was told and arrived at the appointed place and time.

The first surprise came when Namine handed him a blindfold, telling him to put it on.

The second surprise came when Roxas felt his physical being warp from one location to another, via Gummi Ship teleporter.

And so Roxas found himself here, sitting copilot in Namine's ship – the _Dusk Breaker_ – blind to the rest of the world, as his girlfriend escorted them off to parts unknown. Of course, Roxas trusted his girlfriend absolutely, and the trip was proving to be more than pleasant – Namine had proven quite adept at piloting Gummi Ships; not as good as Sora, but a clear step above Kairi or Riku or Roxas himself – but the blond boy couldn't help but wonder what they were doing. Where they were going.

Roxas' left hand rose up, slightly and slowly.

"Don't fiddle with your blindfold, Roxas." Namine abjured, gently. Without being able to see, the suddenness almost caused Roxas to jump up in his seat.

"I-I wasn't..." Roxas' hand dropped to his side, as he squirmed in his seat. His entire body was brimming with anxious energy. "Can you at least give me a hint, Nam?"

"Hmm, no!"

"Come on! Why not?" The blonde giggled at Roxas' exasperation.

"Because you're really good at guessing games, Roxas, and I don't want to spoil the surprise after all the work I've put in to this."

Silence overtook the room again, Namine continuing to pilot the ship, humming a tuneless melody while she did, with Roxas sitting, blind and anxious, while chewing on his girlfriend's words.

"You know, I don't know what you're up to you, but you don't really need to put in all this effort just for me." Roxas finally said, breaking the period of quiet. "We could have just stayed back on the Islands and done a million things there, and that would have been more than fine."

"I know, I know Roxas." Came Namine, sounding just a little bit flustered and embarrassed. "But you deserve more than fine. You deserve the absolute best, and I'm more than happy to give that to you."

Roxas smiled warmly. "But I already have the best. I have my family and all my friends. Sora is the best brother anyone could ever ask for. And, of course, I have you." It was barely audible, but Roxas could hear Namine clear her throat following that comment. His smile only grew larger. In his mind's eye, he could perfectly picture how her face looked right now – a sheepish expression, biting down on her lip, scarlet flush creeping into her cheeks. Namine always said how much she hated how she looked when she blushed, but Roxas always found it adorable.

"Doesn't matter what we do or where we go, as long as we're together, Nam, I'll be happy." Roxas turned in the direction he believed Namine was a beamed a sunny grin. A low chuckle from his girlfriend told him he was looking the wrong way.

"Well then, I guess this week will be your best week ever..."

That was the last comment Namine had on the subject, as she and Roxas continued toward their destination. It took another... well, Roxas didn't know how much longer it took for the trip to finish. Being deprived of your sight really messed with your perception of basically everything, including time. Regardless, Namine eventually declared they had arrived, before leading her blind boyfriend by the hand to the transporter room. Roxas was desperate to finally take off the blindfold, but Namine said it could only come off _after_ they had arrived. Reluctantly, and with a sigh, Roxas agreed to this condition, as the two blondes (and their luggage) were beamed down to whichever world they had arrived.

Immediately, as the duo of blonds arrived on the surface of this world, Roxas' other, non-eye based senses, were assaulted with his new surroundings. The chattering chorus of dozens of indistinct voices all around him came to his hears, with the cawing of birds rising above that. A gentle breeze past by, bringing with it the scent of saltwater. It was familiar to the wind of the Islands, but warmer, dryer, less sweet and less tropical. It was familiar and alien to Roxas all at once.

Where in the Realm was he?

"Okay, Roxas, I'm going to take the blindfold off now..."

"Finally!"

Dainty fingertips brushed against the side of the blond boy's hair, as Namine took hold of the obstruction. At the same time, she began to countdown, but was also joined by three other voice Roxas immediately picked up against the din of the strangers.

"Three... two... one... SURPRISE!"

Namine, Sora, Kairi, and Riku all called out together, as the blind was pulled from Roxas' eyes. It took a few minutes for his eyes to adjust to the bright sunlight, before the blond began to scan his new surroundings.

Indeed, Sora, Kairi, and Riku were all present, standing before the pair of blonds on a bustling city street. The street overlooked a marvelous stretch of sandy beach, the sapphire blue ocean stretching out as far as the eyes could see. All around, there were crowds of people weaving through the streets and beach, dozens of quaint little brownstone shops and homes lining the street itself, while a series of stilted houses were built above the golden sands along the far edge of the beach.

For a moment, Roxas was bewildered as to where he was, until he looked up at the sky, seeing the sun was just hanging along the horizon, dyeing the world in a soft, warm orange light. They had left early in the morning, there was no way enough time had passed that it was already sundown. No, with the way the sun looked, it was as if the whole world was locked in perpetual dusk.

Or, rather, perpetual twilight.

"We're in Twilight Town!" Roxas blurted out, immediately feeling like a fool for saying something so obvious. Fortunately, his friends were kind of enough to humour him, Kairi and Sora smiling and nodding. Though, Riku gave a little mocking smirk at the statement.

"Specifically, we're in the lovely little coastal town of Tournesol Beach!" Kairi explained, adding a little dramatic flourish of her arms, motioning to the idyllic beachfront all around them.

"Yeah. Took you almost two years, but you finally made it to the beach, chocobo hair..." Riku said, snidely, that little smirk never fully disappearing.

Roxas grimaced. Not at Riku's comment or behaviour, but at the painful memories of being trapped in the Virtual Twilight town. He had wanted to visit the beach one day, but even that simple pleasure was cruelly snatched away from him by DiZ. All as Roxas' existence slowly dwindled away.

He balled up a hand in rage at the memory, only for the hand to be immediately clutched within both of Namine's. As if the girl could read his thoughts and the rage in his heart. As if she was saying "It's okay. That's all behind you now".

"But... why? How?" Roxas still had questions about this whole scenario. The six of them all lived on a tropical island archipelago. If they wanted to bum around on the beach, they literally just had to walk five minutes from Roxas and Sora's home.

"It was Namine's idea." Sora offered, with a genial smile. "You know, she mentioned how she wanted to make up for you never going to the beach in the, uh... _other_ Twilight Town, so she thought this would be fun. I mean, I know it's the beach but..." Roxas' brother made a gesture to the surf and sand all around them, as if trying to hype the local up. "... it's a _different_ beach than back home, with all sorts of new things to do."

"So we all pooled our munny together to rent a beach house." Kairi finished for her boyfriend. The redhead pointed down the line of water-adjacent houses to a spacious home painted dark grey. "For the next eight days, it's just the five us, and we're free to do as we please!"

Sora nodded, smiling every brighter, as he sidled next to Roxas. "Also, hey, I know for a fact Hayner, Pence, and Olette are here for the week, too. Perfect time for you to befriend them."

"Yeah, befriend the real thing, Rox. Better than pining after some fakes from DiZ's crappy virtual world..." Riku muttered through a toothy sneer. Kairi elbowed him in the ribs for that comment. "Oh, and you owe us for one-fifth of the rent, too." Kairi elbowed the silver-haired boy again, this times slightly harder.

In the meantime, Roxas was at a loss for words. Maybe this wasn't the most extravagant or exotic vacation spot they could have picked, but everyone still decided to take time out of their own summers and pony up their own cash for this. For him.

And Namine was the linchpin behind it all...

An awkward silence fell, as Roxas' mumbled some indistinct things, sifting through his vocabulary to try and find the proper words for the situation, for his feelings, but too overcome by the emotion to do so. Both Sora and Kairi looked bemused at whatever expression Roxas' face beheld, while Riku turned away in discomfort, his allergies for sincere emotions flaring up.

Fortunately, his beloved came to his rescue.

"Why don't you guys head to house and unpack. Get ready." Namine advised her sister and friends, taking one of Roxas' hands into her own. "We'll catch up in a bit." Everyone understood and quickly departed, leaving the blonds to themselves, with Namine spinning to face her boyfriend. "Well? Was the surprise worth the wait?" She asked with a self-satisfied smile on her face.

"Yeah, I'll say..." It was a bit easier for Roxas to find his words now, now that he lacked an audience. Roxas was never one to openly express himself, too much, but it was always easier when it was just him and Namine. "You know, you didn't have to go through all this trouble just for me."

"But I did!" Big blue eyes full of emotion looked back up at Roxas, as Namine almost teared up on the spot. "We did such horrible things to you – me and Riku and Ansem. We locked you away and wiped your memory, we stole your whole life! And then we made a fake one for you where we kept robbing you of even the littlest things!" The blonde's lip quivered and she continued to ramble on. "For the longest time, I thought you'd hate me for the hand I had in doing that to you, so I had to do this, Roxas! This was the least I could do to make up for hurting you like that..."

"Namine..." Was she really still holding on to that? The virtual Twilight Town seemed like a lifetime ago to Roxas. Hell, technically, it was a lifetime ago. "Namine, I could never hate you, no matter what." Using his right thumb, Roxas lightly drew circles on the back of her hand. "You're so sweet and kind and affectionate and you care so much about the people around you." Pulling her closer, Roxas used his left arm to hold the petite blonde in a gentle embrace. "You don't have to do anything for my sake. Like I said, you're the best, and as long as I'm with you, I'll be happy."

Namine pressed her head deeper into her lover's chest, muttering, "Oh Roxas..."

The two held each other for a brief moment, forgetting about everything else around them, just glad to be with each other in the here and now."

"But, seeing as we're here." Roxas finally said, as he pulled away from Namine, still gently holding on to both her wrists. "Let's take advantage of this week and have some fun. Best summer vacation ever!" Namine giggled and gave a slight smile to the declaration.

"Well, for us, it's the first summer vacation ever. But, yes, we'll make it the best one, too."

* * *

_With the given prompt, I don't think there was another direction to take it._

_Hope everyone enjoyed and is ready for the rest of the week!_


	2. Words Unspoken

**Words Unspoken**

Roxas liked Namine. Really really liked her.

No. When he reflected on his feelings, Roxas knew using such simplistic terms didn't cut it. Didn't properly express how he felt.

Roxas loved Namine.

He loved her more than any other person in the entire world. On all worlds.

For Roxas, it was hard for him to exactly put into words the depth and intensity of his love for the sweet, blonde angel known as Namine.

Very hard. Extremely difficult.

Namely, there were three words Roxas had never said to Namine. To anyone, really, but to Namine, specifically.

"I love you".

But that was okay, right? Their relationship was still in it's infancy, still only three months on, so it would be too early to drop the L-bomb like that. Right? That's how Roxas rationalized it, anyways...

Sure, he had seen and heard Kairi and Sora say it tonnes of times. Dozens. Hundreds. Maybe thousands. But... that was Sora and Kairi. Even a year on, they were still in the honeymoon phase of their relationship. They were expressive and open and emotional people. That was just how they did things.

And, yeah, Roxas had seen his parents say it a bunch, too. In fact, Sayaka and Yakumo basically told each that everyday before they left for work in the morning. But they were a married couple, and had been that way for over twenty years. There was no awkwardness or hesitation in expressing yourself like that at that point; it just became part of the routine.

And, besides all that, Namine knew, right? She had to know, she just had to. She was a girl, and girls were just that more intuitive about this sort of stuff. Namine especially. She was always very empathetic and in-touch with the world and people around her. If there was anyone that could divine Roxas' true feelings, than it was Namine herself.

But Roxas really couldn't take these chances. His own awkwardness aside, he believed that Namine deserved the world, and he wanted to the be the person to deliver the world to her. She deserved to know just exactly how he felt about her.

So, Roxas steeled himself and waited for the perfect moment to say those three fateful words.

Unfortunately, the perfect moment proved to be elusive to the the blond teen.

His first plan was the tell her during a picnic lunch they were planning. But, that whole affair went awry when a flock of birds descended upon them. Roxas went to shoo them away, but then more began to pick at their food while he was occupied. Then, a sudden storm swept in and the whole day was rained out.

Telling her while they were running for cover from a flash monsoon was not the right time...

Next, Roxas figured telling her during a quiet night in watching a movie would be the next plan. It would just be the two of them, a dark room only illuminated by the glare of the television. Seemed like the perfect environment for some tender truths. But, then the movie Namine selected turned out to be a bit more horrifying and intense than either of them was expecting. The white witch spent most of the night alternating between yelping in terror or clutching onto Roxas with her head buried into his chest. And while Roxas certainly enjoyed cuddling and clinging to his love, the air of dread and tension left in the room when the credits rolled put a damper on his plan.

Telling her after a bloody tale of rampaging monsters and sacrifice was not the right time...

After both his plans went kaput, Roxas figured maybe spontaneity was the better option. Instead of planning, just let it come natural as they went about their day-to-day lives. Not to try and orchestrate a moment, but to just let it come naturally.

One day, not long after that decision, as the two blonds were blowing off steam after a long day of school by playing video games – just goofing off and laughing and enjoying one another's company – Roxas figured this might be that natural moment. This might be the time...

...And those hopes were quickly dashed when Sora and Riku barged into the room, arguing about something, distracting Roxas from the task at hand. Soon enough, the two other teens both joined in the games with Roxas and Namine. And, yes, while he had fun with his brother and girlfriend (and Riku, too, he figured), he still cursed his rotten luck and another missed moment.

At least he learned his girlfriend could be just as competitive as him or any of the other guys. And that she played a mean Princess Zelda in _Smash_.

Roxas chose to walk Namine home that night, following an impromptu and raucous tournament that ended with Sora downing half a bottle of hot sauce for coming in last place.

Leaving his house and escorting Namine down the dark and quiet streets of Salm in the midst of winter, Roxas let a tiny sigh escape his lips. Annoyed once more with his failures.

Namine managed to pick up on that tiny tell of his, and quickly homed in on his frustrations

"What's the matter, Roxy?" Roxas grinned a bit. He loved the little pet-name she had come up for him. It just made him feel... special, he figured. It was hard to describe, but it was a good feeling.

"Oh, nothing much. Nothing for you to worry about." Roxas' breath misted in the wintery air. "Just..." Roxas stopped when he felt Namine squeeze his hand, telling him that whatever was eating at him, it would be okay. She was here for him.

_She's always been there for me..._

"Have you ever had something you needed to tell someone? Not a secret or a truth or a fact or anything like that. But an emotion. A feeling. Something buried deep down inside that you want to say... but you can't? It's something really important and true and you really want to say it, but it just bubbles down beneath the surface, and no matter how hard you try to say it, you just ca-"

Namine silence her boyfriend's rambling with a sudden kiss.

"I understand, Roxy." Namine said a while after. Both of the blonds dearly enjoyed the kiss and were reluctant to separate from each other. "I know exactly how that feels, but it's okay, because I love you, too."

Roxas stared in complete and utter disbelief before he began chuckling to himself.

She knew.

Of course she knew.

"You've been on edge for a while now, so I figured something might be up." Namine explained, huddling up under one of Roxas' arms as they continued to walk through the night. "And, admittedly, I did enjoy watching you concoct all those different scenarios to tell me. To make it a picture perfect memory. It was sweet and endearing and... really wonderful of you.

"But, it's okay. I don't need a perfect memory or anything like that. I have you, and I have your love. That's more than enough for me..."

Roxas and Namine were still very much in the fledgling stages of their relationship. There were still plenty of lessons about love and life for them to learn.

On that night, Roxas learned that, sometimes, between you and your partner, your true feelings could shine through from your heart, and things between you could be left unspoken.

* * *

_Yeah, maybe a bit of a cheesy line to go out on, but I would sooner be cheesy and earnest in my efforts than staid and insincere._


	3. For Your Sake

**For Your Sake**

Sometimes, Namine thought she was cursed. It might be the only way to explain how all these catastrophes kept lining up in her life. How it seemed she and her friends could never get a moment's rest.

It had only been a short while since Roxas and Namine were revived, brought back to whole as their own unique individual selves. They had each other, they had Sora and Kairi and Riku, they even had families that accepted them as fully-fledged members. Namine had a mother. Just that very basic concept was so joyously bewildering to her.

But, then, of course, everything went to pot.

Seemingly out of nowhere, a second group of black-clad Nobodies arrived on the scene to menace the denizens of the Realm of Light. They had called themselves "Neo-Organization XIII".

Everyone was sort of baffled by their arrival and their naming convention. Riku had used less-than glowing terms to describe them, referring to this other Organization as a "Bunch of wannabe fanboy and fangirl poseurs idolizing and cosplaying a group of creeps and murderers, not knowing what actually happened, and playacting terrorism".

In Namine's estimation, that was too gentle a description. They were fanatics. A cult. They worshiped each and everything the Organization did and thought they were living gods. They all willingly became Nobodies to better emulate them and to accomplish their goals.

And their two main goals were...

To kill Sora and Riku, for revenge for them dismantling the Organization.

And to capture Roxas. To induce him into their fold. To either make him apart of them, or to worship him like a god. Whichever. Namine wasn't sure what. Either result terrified her.

The Neo-Organization had Roxas in their clutches. They stole him away in the middle of the night, while he and Namine were on a date.

It all happened so fast, Namine could barely react. Barely fight back. She was blown away in an instant, and Roxas was taken.

She felt horrible. Useless. Worthless.

And, so, that's what brought them all here. Outside one of the Neo-Organization's strongholds, where they were certain they held Roxas captive. Sora. Riku. Kairi. The Keyblade's chosen ones.

And Namine.

Namine had no Keyblade. No weapon. She barely had any physical strength. But she had her magic. She had been learning and practicing. She demanded that she be included in this battle. To make up for her inability to save Roxas.

Kairi had worked herself to the bone, pushing herself to the absolute limit so that she could stand right next to Sora and Riku. Namine didn't think she was as good or strong as her sister, but she could still try. She could still try and better herself so that she could stand side-by-side with Sora. With Riku. With Kairi.

With Roxas.

Unfortunately, "Operation X-Factor" went off to a bad start. Upon breaching the interior of the fortress, one of the Organization Nobodies got the drop on them, using his powers to separate and scatter the four teens. They were still able to communicate on their Gummi Phones, revealing they were (most likely) all still in the fortress, but with no easy way to reunite as of right now.

They were on their own.

Namine was on her own.

What followed was a frantic, feverish search through astrange castle, Namine beset by Heartless and lesser Nobodies at every turn. Her black magic served her well, but she knew she couldn't keep this up indefinitely. Her mana would burn out eventually, and then she would be totally defenseless.

She had to find Roxas before that happened.

Dark scenarios ran through her mind as she checked every corridor and cloister and chamber to try and find her beloved. The worst being that they somehow brainwashed him. Indoctrinated him into their little group. That the Roxas she knew and love would become a twisted shadow of himself, turned against his friends. Namine's stomach folded into knots, as she did her best to banish the nightmare from her mind, and kept searching.

A bit of luck broke for the blonde, however, as she found a throng of Nobodies swarming around a locked door. Namine may not have been a seasoned adventurer, but she definitely knew this was a clear sign there was something important behind that door.

A fierce battle ensued, as Namine fought with intensity and determination, conjuring the biggest, most violent and powerful spell she could to annihilate the creatures. A raging, whirling firestorm that instantly incinerated the Nobodies and was probably just a little too much (Namine certainly felt a surge of wooziness strike her after casting the Firaga spell), but it hardly mattered. She was furious and desperate. Facing off against these Neo-Organization creeps, she had never been this angry in her entire life.

_All for you, Roxas. All for you..._

Using Blizzaga to freeze the lock until the metal shattered into bits, Namine forced the door open, hoping and praying it contained what she was looking for...

He was unkempt and unclean, still dressed in the clothes from their date night, and a little banged up and injured (not to mention being unconscious), but it was Roxas. It was Roxas! Namine practically jumped for joy upon seeing him, despite the miserable condition he was in, and hurriedly went to work to free the blond Key Bearer.

His arms were shackled to the wall by taut chains, that Namine immediately went to try and pry away. She was hesitant to freeze the chains off with magic again, less the ice spread to Roxas' hands and wrist. He had already been through enough, Namine didn't want to add to his burdens. Oh, if she only had a Keyblade to deal with the locks...

Wait! That's it!

"Roxas, Roxas..." Namine gently rocked the boy back and forward, trying to coax him to wakefulness. All she needed was a few moments of consciousness and for him to have the wherewithal to summon his Keyblade and they would be home free. "Roxas, please wake up..." Her voiced edged between a hushed whispered and a panicked yell. She wanted him to rise up, but didn't want to alert anyone or anything to her presence. "Please, please, you have to..."

"Namine..."

Slowly, Roxas' eyes fluttered, as his voiced croaked out the repsonse. His eyelids only opened halfway, revealing the faintest of light within those blue irises, but Namine was just relieved to have him in her hands, alive, awake, and well enough.

"What are you doing here, Nam..."

"I came to save you. We all came, I mean. Sora. Kairi. Riku. They're here, too." Namine rattled at the chains again, racking her brain for a way to free Roxas. "We just... we got separated, but it's okay... I just..." Honestly, Namine doubted her ability to do much of anything. Her magic would only take her so far. She needed to get Roxas out of here and contact the others. They could manage. She had absolute faith in Kairi and the others. "Roxy, Roxy... can you summon your Keyblade?"

Hands shaking, Roxas clenched his fingers, one of his Blades manifesting in his grip. Namine quickly scooped it up in both hands and gently tapped it against each of the manacles restraining her boyfriend, the shackles snapping open from the magic of the Keyblade.

Without warning or grace, Roxas' whole body slumped forward off the wall, Namine barely catching him in time, the two pooling on the ground, Namine holding her boyfriend in her arms, cradling, just thankful to have him back again.

"Do you think you can walk, Roxas?" She asked after a brief moment of just enjoying being reunited again.

"...I can barely feel my legs, Nam." Came his weary reply. Namine nodded. That was fine. That was to be expected. It had been over a week since he had been taken. And heaven only knew what Roxas was subjected to.

With great effort, Namine picked Roxas up, supporting him against her right side. It certainly wasn't easy; Roxas had five inches of height on her, and weighed maybe forty or fifty pounds more than the slight, waifish girl. It was slow going and exhausting, but Namine forced herself to move. To drag herself and Roxas forward. If this was the most she could do, than she would be certain it would be enough.

_Nice and easy. Slow and steady._ Namine told herself, as she took gingerly steps, careful to maintain her balance and not fall or drop Roxas. Pausing for a moment, she scooped her Gummi Phone out of a pouch on her belt. _All I need to do is keep quiet and keep moving, while I contact the others. They'll get here and it will all be over. This is all I can do, but it's enough._

With as much dexterity as she could manage in her off-hand, Namine scrolled through screen after screen, in a bid to contact Kairi.

A crack of thunder split the air, as something struck Namine in the left wrist, causing the phone to fly out of her hand. Searing pain coursed through her body, enough to make her almost drop Roxas, as Namine fell to her knees.

Namine looked down at her wrist, seeing a smoking wound burned into her flesh. The combination of the pain and the scent brought tears to her eyes.

And she knew exactly who was responsible.

"Keep your hands off, witch. He belongs to us."

Barring the way for the two blonds was the black cloaked figure of one of the Neo Nobodies, one Namine was all too familiar with.

After all, Yllix was part of the squad that kidnapped Roxas...

The woman bore a cold expression, sneering down at Namine with dark red eyes, sharp and austere face framed by the long bangs of her otherwise short dark violet hair. Clutched in her hands was what struck Namine – a long whip which ended with a diamond shaped blade, corrosive acid dripping from it's point.

"Roxas, just stay put, I'll deal with this..." She told her boyfriend in a low tone, breathing through the pain surging from the acid burn. Clutching her hand over the holey wound, green magical energy flowed into her arm, repairing the damage and banishing some of the pain.

"No, Namine, don't..." Roxas protested, weakly. "Just run for it. Leave me behind, it's okay."

"It's not okay!" Namine stood up to face her opponent, determined and focused, her voice getting heated. "We came here... I came here to rescue you. To save you. I'm tired of you getting hurt because of me." Namine's bravado masked the fact she was still running on fumes. She didn't have much mana left, and even if the Neo Nobodies were a bunch of poseurs and psycho fans, they were still powerful foes. "So... let me do this. Let me fight for you, Roxas."

"You're going to die here, witch." Yllix intoned, icy detachment lacing her voice. "No one is coming to save you, this time." With that last insult, Yllix struck, lashing her whip outwards towards her foe, Namine ready to defend.

In reality, Namine knew this was a bad match-up, even if she wasn't drained of mana. With her frail body and weak constitution, she relied on keeping her foes at a range to bombard them with spells. The speed and length of Yllix's whip allowed her to fight at a range as well, to constantly pressure and harry her foe no matter what. Then there was her acid, which was strong enough to melt through anything. Even Namine's Reflega spell couldn't hold up to more than a few seconds of the corrosive substance.

But none of that mattered. Roxas was in danger. Roxas' very existence might be at stake. Sora and Kairi always rose to the challenge to save one another, surely Namine could do the same thing when it was her love on the line.

Namine unleashed a flurry of spells, intending on ending Yllix on the spot. If she didn't win this fight fast, she wouldn't win this fight at all. But the torrent of magic was no threat to the female Nobody, who easily dodged and deflect every spell, before lashing out with her acidic whip. Namine brought up her barrier, causing the bladed tip to rake against the wall of the magical shield. No damage was inflicted to the barrier, but it did leave a thin trail of acid along the surface, which quickly ate through the ward, as if it was sugar dissolving in water.

With Namine helpless and wide open, Yllix snapped her whip forward again, the length of the weapon snagging Namine by the ankle. With a sharp pull, the Nobody sent her foe sprawling to the floor, dragging Namine closer to peril. Yllix pounced, smothering Namine's body while wrapping the cord of her whip around her throat, fiercely seizing around her neck and windpipe.

"You are a despicable waste of a Nobody, witch." Yllix seethed into Namine's ear, as the blonde girl gagged and choked, all oxygen being cut off from her body. Namine writhed and thrashed, but to no avail. She was too weak and growing weaker by the moment. Blackness began to creep in to the edge of her vision. "The Organization found no value in you and I agree. All you've done is corrupt our beloved Roxas with notions of the heart and emotions..." Yllix pulled tighter, causing more pained choking noises to emanate from Namine.

Namine's fingers scrabbled against the stone floor, a desperate bid for salvation. But it all seemed so hopeless. This seemed like the end...

_Just once... just this once I wish I could have been more for Roxas than a burden. That I could fight for him and protect him..._

"That's not true!" Roxas' hoarse voice cut through the air like a knife. Yllix craned her head over to the face the boy, the noose around Namine's neck slacking slightly. The blond was still weak and fatigued, even the effort of propping himself on his hands and knees seemed to be a titanic effort, but he was still defiant towards his captors and tormentors. "Namine is the best thing that has ever happened to me! She's the most precious person in my life, and we would do anything for each other. I don't care what happens to me, but I'll never let you take her away from me!"

Yllix looked utterly baffled by Roxas' protests, her Nobody nature unable to process such earnest and sincere emotions. "...You don't know what you're saying, Lord Roxas. We are Nobodies. Things such as love are irrelevant to us. You may think those emotions matter, but they're just a weakness. A weakness we'll remove."

This momentary distraction was exactly what Namine needed. With the whip slackened slightly, Namine was able to get a much needed breath of air. And, with Yllix distracted by Roxas, she was able to get her hands on the length of cord and, channeling the last bit of mana she could muster, summoned up a Thunder spell, directing the bolt into Yllix's whip.

Electricity coursed through the whip and up and through the entire being of the cold Nobody, causing her to howl in pain. The lash was now wholly off of Namine's neck, allowing her to scurry away and back to Roxas, as Yllix staggered away from the two blonds, falling to one knee while gnashing her teeth together, glaring bloody murder at her assailant.

"Roxas is right, Yllix!" Namine snapped back, her boyfriend's defiant spirit invigorating and energizing her, even if she was wholly tapped on mana. "You're wrong. You're all wrong! Every Nobody in both Organizations! We're strong because we embrace our hearts and our emotions – both the good and the bad. All of you cast aside your hearts the moment they became an inconvenience to you. You're the weak ones! You're the cowards!"

Yllix clicked her tongue in distaste, as she continually cracked her whip against the ground. "You have no Keyblade. You're out of magic. And you have the gall to call yourself strong and me weak?" Yllix spat before rearing her whip back. "To hell with you, you worthless piece of trash. Die, witch."

The acidic, bladed whip lashed out, making a beeline across the room towards the two lover. Namine imposed herself between the whip and Roxas, determined to protect him no matter what. Even if what Yllix said was true. Even if she was out of options. Even if she was powerless.

"Roxas... I will protect you..."

Namine's voice was a soft whisper. More a prayer to herself than a declaration to the boy she loved.

Sora and Riku went to the edge of existence itself for their friends. They fought for each other, for Kairi, for Namine, too.

Kairi started at zero and worked her way up to one-hundred so that she could fight alongside her friends. So that she could be with Sora. So she could save Namine.

Roxas never considered the cost to himself when fighting. When saving others. He just acted. That selfless nature was hardwired into him. It's what made him, him.

_I always wanted to be like the others, but I never thought I could be. I always thought that was a deranged fantasy. That, at best, all I would ever be was a burden. Helpless and weak. Always needing saving. That, at worst, all I did was bring pain and suffering into the lives of the people I love. I've already done so much to hurt Sora and Roxas..._

The whip zeroed in on Namine, aimed directly at her heart. But the blonde did not give away an inch of ground. No matter what, this time, she would fight for Roxas.

A ball of light began to form in her right hand, unnoticed by the three in the room.

_But I'm tired of thinking like that. If I focus and I work hard, then I can be like the others. I can be the person I want to be. Like Sora and Riku. Like Kairi._

_Like Roxas._

Namine stared down Yllix and thrust her right hand forward, the ball of light exploding into a blinding halation. Everything in the room was covered by a blanket of white light, as the sound of metal clanging against metal resonated throughout.

When the light receded, Yllix stared slack-jawed at Namine

"Impossible..." The Nobody's whip bounced off the ground, having been deflected away from Namine. Having been deflected away from the source of Yllix's disbelief.

In her hand, Namine carried a Keyblade, crystalline blue and snow white. Beautiful and elegant and wondrous. Both weapon and user radiated with light and power. Roxas managed to have smile breakthrough his weary state, looking up at his most cherished person with pride and joy.

"It isn't impossible, Yllix, it's just as Roxas said." Namine gripped her new weapon and stared down her foe with brazen confidence. "We would do anything for each other. So, I've found the strength inside of me to do what I have to for him.

"I'll fight you, Yllix. For his sake, and for my own, I'll fight you and win and I'll save Roxas!"

* * *

_So, maybe a bit of an involved concept for a short story, but I like it! Just, please, someone stop me from expanding this into a full story. Much as I would like to write a full Roxas/Namine longfic like this, I don't have the time right now. I have too much on my plate as is..._

_Someone will stop me from doing this, right?_

_Also, more of this please, Square. More of the girls standing up and fighting for their boys. No more damseling and kidnapping and killing and Namine being a ghost. Actually make good use of the characters that have been in your franchise for fifteen years._


	4. Free Day

**Free Day**

Namine groaned loudly as she rolled out of bed. Not even stepping out from under the covers. Literally rolling end over end until she plopped onto the floor, splayed out on the floor like a petite blonde blob.

_Everything hurts... maybe I'll jut stay on the floor for the rest of the day...?_

Her eyes darted up to her alarm clock. It was almost eleven in the morning. She had overslept.

It had been a long winding road for everyone to get to this point. Not Namine pooling on the floor, trying to will her body to move but it not responding. No, the point of getting everyone back together, whole, alive and reunited.

Roxas came first. Then Namine. Then, two of them along with Sora, Riku, Kairi and their other allies were tasked with reviving three lost Keyblade Wielders from a decade ago: Terra, Aqua, and Ventus. It took well over a year after Namine's revival to bring the three of them back, but the hard work was well worth it. Even if Namine barely knew the three, she overjoyed for them to finally be back together.

Just like her and Roxas.

But, with the joyous reunion out of the way, everyone got down to business. Namely, Aqua and Terra – the most veteran and skilled of the Wielders – took to task of finishing Ventus' training, and of starting the training for the other five Bearers.

The two Masters would alternate responsibility, and therein lied Namine's conflict. She loved it whenever Aqua instructed the group. Loved, loved, loved it! Aqua's specialty was magic, something Namine was quickly finding she had an inherit talent for. Most of Aqua's classes were focused around magic and spellcraft, Namine excelling at each and everything thrown at her, quickly becoming the star pupil of the magic lessons, to the point that Roxas would occasionally give her a funny look before snickering and calling her "Teacher's pet". Namine didn't mind though; she liked finding her niche. Finding her talent.

And it didn't hurt that Roxas would always follow up his gentle teasing with a sweet kiss or hug to soothe things over.

When it was Terra's turn to teach, however, Namine's mood took a sharp one-eighty.

As Aqua was to magic, Terra was to physical strength, and all of his lessons were focused on that. Not even swordfighting techniques, just strength and endurance training. Push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, sprinting and long-distance running... everything and anything in between, and Namine hated it! Hated, hated, hated it! To the same extent she excelled in the arcane fields, she struggled in the world of physical strength. She was a tiny little stringbean of a wisp of a girl, with no constitution to speak of, and even though she tried her absolute hardest, she was always a distant last place in Terra's training.

And Terra's training was the reason why she was in the state she was in. He had something he had to take care of off-world, and so they had an extra-long workout session yesterday. Namine had been determined to show better results to her teacher and friends, working herself to the bone for just that, but all it resulted in was... this. Namine slumped on the floor, barely stirring, even as her conscious mind couldn't go back to sleep.

Every muscle in her body ached.

No, scratch that...

Ever fiber of every muscle in her body ached.

No, scratch _that_...

Every cell of every fiber of every muscle in her body ached.

But, despite all that, Namine willed herself to move. She was never one to laze around, after all, fatigue or no fatigue. Slowly, very slowly, Namine pushed herself off the ground and got to her knees. She figured she deserved a medal just for completing that task.

But, something caught her attention, as her mind grew more focused on things other than her pain. The scent of something sweet being made in the kitchen. Her stomach growled in response to the stimulus. The thought of something to eat gave her even more of a drive to get moving.

Slipping on a housecoat, Namine made her way down the halls of her and Kairi's home – her home, the very thought still bringing a slight smile to her face – to investigate.

What Namine expected to find was Sora over and cooking either a late breakfast or an early lunch, with everyone waiting eagerly – or, at the very least, her sister and her boyfriend waiting eagerly.

What Namine found was just her boyfriend, just Roxas, cooking something in a pan on the stovetop. Judging from the state of his work, he was nearly finished cooking. There was a platter stacked tall with french toast, as well as several bowls of dice fruits and containers of jam and whipping cream and other toppings.

"Oh, hey! Morning, sleepyhead!" Roxas greeted with a warm smile and singsong tone. "Not like you to sleep in. I was surprised you weren't up by the time I showed." Namine blinked in confusion, as Roxas deposited his final two pieces of toast onto the platter.

"Uh... Roxy, what's going on? Why are you here?" Not that Namine should be complaining. Waking up to find her sweet and adoring boyfriend cooking breakfast was certainly high up on the things she wanted to wake up to.

"I asked Kairi if she could let me in before she and Sora went out." Roxas explained, before he began plating some slices and dressing them up. Bananas and chocolate syrup and crushed macadamia nuts, with a pinch of sea-salt. "And I figured that you worked so hard yesterday and must be so worn down you could use a treat for the day. So..." The ex-Organization member motioned to the fruits of his labour. And the grains of his labour. And the sugars of his labour. "Ta-da!" Grogginess and exhaustion were still hitting Namine hard, so she didn't react right away, causing her boyfriend's expression to falter slightly. "I know, I know, it's not as if Sora made it. If he had, then he would have baked his own loaf of bread from scratch, and made his own whipping cream, and his own preserves and -"

"No, no, Roxas, that's not the problem." Namine shook her head, both to refute Roxas' claims and to shake some wakefulness into her. "I'm... so overwhelmed by all this. It all looks so good, too!" A smile formed on the lips of both blonds, as Namine went to construct her own breakfast – slices of toast with bits of mango and strawberry.

"Yeah, no..." Roxas chuckled at his own expense, at his own overreaction. "I figured, with your mom working and Sora and Kairi out 'n' about, we could have a day of R&R. Just the two of us here. You wouldn't have to lift a finger all day!"

That sounded lovely to Namine. Not just the "wouldn't have to lift a finger" thing (though that did look particularly attractive), but just the idea of having a whole day between her and Roxas, and nothing else. No chores or errands or Keyblade training. Just her and her boyfriend.

A big, delightful smile formed on Namine's face, as she reflected on all the blessing she had received in life.

Namine probably ate a little bit too much, but everything was as delicious as it looked and Namine wanted to reward Roxas' hard work and effort by eating as much as was humanly possible.

After the filling meal, Namine went to shower and clean up for the day. To get ready for a day of relaxation with her boyfriend.

The two young lovers quickly moved out onto the veranda, relaxing in the warm afternoon sun and whiling away the time with some light chitchat. Catching up on the various goings on of their day-to-day lives. Roxas mentioned how he was thinking of entering the next Struggle tournament in Twilight Town, catch up with Hayner and the whole crew, and test his skills like old times (old, simulated, fake times). Though, Namine pointed out that with his current skill level and power, he wouldn't find much a challenge among the Twilight Town regulars.

Along the way, Namine idly brought up how she saw a local art gallery was sponsoring an amateur artist contest, and Roxas encouraged her to give it a try, despite her insistence she wasn't good enough for that sort of thing.

"You're them most artistic person I've ever met." Was what he ended up telling her. "None of use are anywhere near as talented at you. You'll knock their socks off if you try, I just know it."

Soon after, Namine found herself further plagued by her aching muscles, with Roxas stepping in with a solution: a massage. While Namine was never one to refuse an opportunity to be within Roxas' hands, she was a little hesitant with the idea. Roxas had never demonstrated any skill at massaging, and if it was done poorly, wouldn't it just make things worse?

In the end, however, Roxas did win out, with Namine setting herself down on her belly across a long deck chair and – BY GOD – it was so good! Incredibly good! Namine wasn't entirely sure if it was that her boyfriend was just preternaturally talented or if her body was just so desperate to have any kind of positive stimulus and release, but regardless, it was absolutely what she needed at this juncture. Namine practically melted when at the mercy of her lover's hands, like ice cream in the summer's sun.

With Roxas having completed his lawfully appointed duties as boyfriend, the two split off slightly to do different activities, though still staying on the veranda and the nearby pool.

Despite his claims of it being a day for R&R, Roxas took the opportunity to get in a bit of exercise, swimming several laps in the sparkling, chlorinated waters.

While her boyfriend got in a slight work-out, Namine fished out a well-worn novel and her sketch pad, idling the time away alternating between reading and drawing. Not anything particular or any specific project, just sketching whatever came to mine, in order to keep herself sharp. Just the usual stuff. Birds. Flowers. Cats. Various body parts (she was still unsure of her ability to draw feet).

And, of course, Namine drew plenty of her favourite subject: Roxas.

Roxas, Roxas, Roxas.

Happy Roxas, sad Roxas, angry Roxas, determined Roxas. Roxas with his brother. Roxas with his friends. Roxas at peace. Roxas in battle.

Roxas together with her.

And so the day progressed, with the two blonds doing whatever their hearts so desired, together, never really stepping outside the comfort of the Shiratori residence, nor interacting with anyone else. But that was okay. The two needed a break, and it had been too long since just the two of them had hung out with one another.

It was around six PM in the evening that Kairi finally returned, with Sora in tow, the two finished from whatever excursion they were on for the day. They arrived home to their respective sibling still lounging about, with Roxas trying to order in some food for the two, while Namine was picking out a movie for the two to watch later in the evening.

"Did you two seriously spend all day lazing about the house?" The redhead asked, more amused than upset. A slight chuckle was evident her voice, as she shook her head at the sight of her sister huddled up on the couch with Roxas.

"We did!" Namine confirmed with a cheeky grin. "We did and it was absolutely wonderful, wasn't it, Roxy?"

Roxas smiled warmly, as he tightened his grip around Namine, kissing her on her forehead. "Best day I've had in a while."

Sora murmured something in agreement, flashing a forlorn puppydog look in Kairi's direction, causing everyone else to let loose a spurt of laughter. Namine invited the two over to join in on their impromptu dinner and movie night, two couples making a lovely time of it all.

To Namine, even though it was such a simple, uneventful day, it was also a perfect day for her. Beyond perfect. Even if, deep down, she was still weary and tired and worn out, just being with Roxas was always enough make her feel like a million munny, as if it were magic. To make her feel like the most special person around.

There was just something about Roxas that had a way to invigorate her soul. Something intangible and wonderful she wished to hold onto forever.

"Thank you for such a lovely day, Roxas." Namine told him in between kisses, as her boyfriend departed for the night. "It was just what I needed."

"Anytime, Nam! Always happy to help."

* * *

_I think I may have taken the prompt of "Free Day" a little too literally, but I think it turned out okay. Little bit of R&R fluff for Labour Day!_


	5. A Day With You

**A Day With You**

"What should we hit up first, Roxas?" Namine asked, as she crossed through the turnstile.

"Well, I heard the ice cream here is out of this world, but I think we should hit some rides before we get some food." Roxas replied, checking his personal map of the fairgrounds.

That time of year had come again, where Minnie and Mickey Mouse invited everyone – far and wide – to come and join their magical kingdom in celebration of the Disney Dream Festival! What started as a small little carnival had bloomed into a full-size amusement park with rides, games, attractions, and food galore! And, of course, the mice monarchs were certain to invite their friends to enjoy the festivities. Terra, Aqua, and Ventus still had their lifetime passes, but Sora and the others were given special invites as well – full free access to everything the Festival had, as a thank you for all their effort in defending the Realm and the worlds.

While Sora, Kairi, and Riku were more than happy to take up this offer, Roxas and Namine chose to eschew the special treatment. Not that they weren't grateful for Minnie and Mickey's offer, they just didn't feel making such a fuss over them was necessary. They were happier spending a day at the fair as a pair of, for the lack of better term, nobodies.

"What should we check out then?"

"Definitely the pirate ship. Sora said the Haunted Mansion was a lot of fun, too. Ooh! And Splash Mountain and the Matterhorn, too!"

Namine blanched at the mention of the last attraction; she had heard of the perilous steel rollercoaster. "Okay, okay... just, don't be too surprised if I scream the whole way down..."

"I'll be right next to you the entire time. Scream and hold onto me as much as you want, Nam."

And scream is exactly what Namine did. The entire time the two blonds plunged down the track of the Matterhorn, Namine had her eyes shut and her arms clutching onto Roxas as if for dear life, hollering and crying at the top of her lungs, as her boyfriend had the time of his life. She was even shaking slightly as they exited the attraction, thought it was hard to tell if that was due to the adrenaline in her system, or her frayed nerves from such an experience.

And to Roxas' great surprise, despite Namine's less than enthralling reaction to the Matterhorn (she sat aside on a bench when he went for a second go), she didn't so much as bat an eye at the ghouls and ghosts that inhabited the Haunted Mansion. Hell, even by the end of the ride, Roxas was starting to feel a little on edge, but Namine barely let out a gasp the whole way through, and that was more a gasp of excitement, then of fear.

Fortunately, both the pirate ship and Splash Mountain were much more to Namine's pace, even if she got absolutely soaked at the end of Splash Mountain's descent. However, the souvenir photo more than made up for any amount of soggy clothing, especially when she saw just how happy both she and Roxas looked in the image. A few years ago, she would have thought her being that overjoyed would have been impossible, and yet here they were...

**(~R/N~)**

After their run through the various thrillrides and attractions, the couple enjoyed themselves a light lunch. And they kept it light for a very specific reason.

One of the first claims to fame the Dream Festival had was the quality of their ice cream (all thanks to the efforts of Ven in his first year here). The frozen treats of the Festival had become famous the entire Kingdom over, and Sora had done his best to hype Roxas with the tantalizing opportunities he would be presented with.

There's no way it can be as good as Sora says, was what Roxas thought initially, upon being told. Ice cream was ice cream. It was good regardless. There's no way the stuff at the Dream Festival was that much better than the average.

Then Roxas caught a glimpse of the menu.

Oh, how naive he had been.

The sheer breadth of the flavours and styles of ice cream was overwhelming, to the point that Roxas didn't think he could ever decide. That he would have to pare it down to two or three flavours of choice, and even then that wouldn't be enough to satisfy his sweet tooth.

Then, he saw it.

The "Absolute A-Salt Royal Parfait".

Three different varietals of ice cream – regular sea salt, sea-salted dark chocolate, and sea-salted peanut butter – with a salted caramel sauce drizzled all over, topped with salt-encrusted candied popcorn pieces and edible gold leaf. Finished with whipped cream and a cherry, because this behemoth of a sundae needed more garnish!

This spoke to Roxas. It sang to him. It was practically made for him! He didn't care if to cost sixty-five hundred munny, he had to have it!

Then Roxas got the damn thing, and found that it was served in a bowl, and that the whole thing was bigger than his head.

"You sure you'll be okay with that, Roxas?" Namine asked, slightly nervous at the sheer magnitude of frozen sweetness that was in her boyfriend's hands. For comparison, she had been much more conservative in her purchase, picking a lovely and refreshing lemon sorbet with some of those fizzy popping candies rolled into it.

Roxas barely paid attention what she had said. Or to anything beyond his ice cream, in fact, repeatedly muttering "Oh my god..." over and over again.

"Pace yourself, sweetie..." She gently mentioned, while guiding him over to some tables set up in the shade.

Roxas looked upon his dessert with reverent fervour that most people usually reserved for priceless valuables and works of art. "I'll do everything in my power to eat every last bite of this thing..."

**(~R/N~)**

Roxas groaned loudly, hands placed over his belly.

"Ugh... too much ice cream... but it was _sooo_ good..."

Namine giggled, knowing Roxas was putting on a bit of a show. "You have no one else to blame but yourself, Roxy."

"Still... I regret nothing!"

As Roxas bemoaned the situation he had placed himself in/reveled in the ice cream coma and sugar high, the two managed to find their way to the midway, the alley lined with booth after booth of carnival games, barkers doing their best to draw players towards them. Prizes of various quality lined the walls of the booths – from cheap plastic toys to large plush dolls that looked rather well made. And, no doubt, prizes like that would be next to impossible to win, or would require a huge investment of munny, to the point it just wasn't worth it. Such tropes held true even in the magic kingdom of Disney...

"Ooh! Roxas, look!" Namine's excited declaration snapped the boy out of his ice cream stupor, as she was animatedly pointing to one of the carnival booths. Specifically, to one of the prizes pinned to it's wall: a bright green fox-like creature with a fluffy tail, elongated ears, and a great ruby set in it's forehead. "It's so cute!" She squealed in abject happiness.

"You want it, Nam?" Roxas sauntered over to the booth in question, confident grin spread on his lips. "Consider it yours." He slammed a fistful of munny onto the table, mentally preparing himself that he would be spending even more of his cash trying to win this thing. But, ripoff or not, stomachache or no, he was deadset on winning the carbuncle plush for his beloved.

Anything to put a smile on her face and to make her satisfied.

In the end, it took Roxas nearly a half hour to pop the right balloons in the right combination to win a big a prize as the carbuncle. He kept telling himself that he would have done better if he were not loaded down what felt like ten pounds of ice cream. Plus, he didn't even want to think about how much that plushy would go for versus how much munny he blew here and now...

But, as they left the midway area to find some other thing to occupy their time, Namine tightly hugging her new stuffy close to her body and nuzzling it with her cheek, all those complaints were the absolute furthest from Roxas' mind.

Namine was happy, and that's all that mattered in the end.

**(~R/N~)**

Namine watched on, wearing a slight smile, as a gaggle of young kids were gathered around Roxas, awing at being so close to one of the Key Bearers in person, all desperate for autographs or pictures or any other sort of token of acknowledgment from the young blond.

The tales of the Warriors of the Keyblade had spread far and wide across the Realm of Light, with each and everyone of them being celebrated as heroes, and they were especially popular with children. Namine, however, was far and away the least known and popular of the various Key Bearers, which was fine. And understandable. She was the one who contributed the least, after all, only manifesting her Keyblade recently. There were no epic stories of Namine Shiratori's great deeds and fearsome battles. Even Kairi had her beat in that regard, the redhead having worked so hard to shake off the unfair "damsel" label.

But that was fine. Namine was more than happy to let her friends bask in the limelight. They deserved it. And she never really liked being the center of attention, anyways.

"Sorry 'bout that, Nami." Roxas said sheepishly, finally being able to pull away from his adoring public. "Guess we can't go anywhere without being recognized."

Namine just waved him off, finding the apology unnecessary. "It's fine, Roxas. I suppose we should be grateful we managed to remain anonymous for so long." Roxas nodded along, before Namine added, "Also, I couldn't help but think when you were playing with all those kids, well, it was really attractive. Very cute, Roxas."

That caused Roxas to lower his head slightly, stammering, as a crimson flush entered his cheeks.

Namine continued to tease Roxas, as the two tried to figure out what part of the fair to scope out next, but were stopped when a small voice called out to them.

"Um, excuse me... I don't mean to bother you but could I... could I get a picture, please..."

Both Roxas and Namine turned back around to see there was a young girl – maybe around seven or eight – standing there with her mother. The girl looked awfully shy and nervous, with her mom doing what mom's do best in supporting her.

"Well, yeah, of course." Roxas replied, bending over and beckoning the child to come over. "No need to by shy, come on over." But, to his surprise, the girl just shook her head.

"Um, no... I meant..." The girl seemed to be doing the best to work up her courage, but she ended up turning away from the two and back towards her mother.

"It's okay sweetie. Just ask nicely and I'm sure they'll be happy to help you."

Adding to the mother's encouragement, Namine stepped forward and said, "You're mom is right. What would you like from us?"

The girl turned back, shyly smiling at Namine. "Well, I'd like a picture. With you, please..."

Namine could only blink in surprise. With her? She couldn't remember the last time one of their young fans asked her from anything. It was all but confirmed when Namine silently pointed at herself, and the girl nodded in the affirmative.

"You're my favourite, Miss Namine. I like to draw, too, and I want to be as good as you when I grow up."

Namine could feel her heart melting from the pure sweetness as she beckoned the girl over. Roxas stood aside, as the mom took several pictures of Namine and her newest fan – Cerezia – as the two of them talked, quickly bonding. Almost as if they were sisters.

Cerezia's mom thanked them for their time as all parties said their goodbyes, Namine only wishing she had brought her sketchpad to conjure up a quick doodle for her young fan. But regardless, as the two continued to find their next attraction for the day, Namine was absolutely radiant, glowing happily like the sun.

A fact Roxas did not notice, as he snickered quietly at his girlfriend.

"And what might you be chuckling about, hmm?" Namine inquired, playfully.

"Oh, nothing." Roxas flashed her a cheeky grin, turning the tides on her, "Just that, well, when you were having fun with Cerezia, I thought it was pretty cute, Nam."

The two stormed off further in the Dream Festival, spending well past nightfall in the amusement park. More rides, treats, and games to be had, staying until the fireworks festival the signaled the end of the day. By the end of it all, as the two flew back home in Namine's ship, the blonde girl had curled up in the co-pilot's chair and fallen asleep. It had been a long and rewarding day for the two.

No friends or families or siblings. No responsibilities or jobs. No Heartless or monsters or villains of any kind. Just Roxas and Namine. Together.

They wouldn't have had it any other way.

* * *

_Maybe a little derivative and too samey to my entry for yesterday, but I think it's okay. I do kind of wish Disney Town and the Dream Festival would return in other games, let it serve as mini-game hub and stuff. It could be the KH equivalent of the Gold Saucer! Maybe even include the Saucer's dating mini-game._

_Regardless, if you're disappointed with the similarity between Days 4 and 5, next time will be very different. Until then, everyone._


	6. Alternate Universe

**Alternate Universe/Crossover**

As the afternoon moved on, dark clouds rolled in over the watery city of Suito, a rainstorm following soon after.

Heavy rainfall such as this was all too common for Suito, built on the tropic coastline with numerous canals winding their way through the city proper. The residence of Suito were more than use to it. Water was part of the way of life here. It was literally in the city's name.

And besides, whatever dark clouds the weather conjured were no match for the ones that hung over the city at all times. Day or night. Rain or shine. The haze of darkness created by the Organization.

Paranormal crime was rampant in Suito. Impossible acts of thievery, violence, and worse things still. Citizens turning into monsters via Materia Keys, strange objects forged from something called the "World's Heart". All orchestrated by the shadowy Organization, for an unknown end.

The dark clouds were spread large over Suito for nearly two years now, with only one person holding the shadows at bay. One lone hero protecting the city and it's people.

X-Zeed. But the people of the city knew them as "Kamen Rider".

The one who bore the moniker of hero – or, rather, one of those who bore that moniker – was currently caught in the middle of the monsoon assaulting the city, wandering without any purpose or destination. Roxas Kagioh staggered through the darkened afternoon, his heart as tumultuous as the sky overhead, clothes sodden by the lukewarm rainfall, not even bother trying to protect himself or run for cover. Truth be told, he was so disconnected from reality right now he didn't even feel... anything. The rain. His exhaustion. The wounds on his body from a recent fight. Nothing at all.

_What do I do now? Knowing this... What am I going to do? What are we going to do?_

_How can I be X-Zeed after learning this? How can I keep being the hero this city needs?_

_I mean... who am I? Just _what _am I? Am I even human..._

On and on this despairing spiral of thoughts went, as the rain continued to pour, soaking Roxas through to the bone. He leaned up against a light post and held his head in a hand, thankful that the weather had driven most everyone off the streets. He needed to be alone. He needed time to concentrate. To focus. To fight his way through this confusion and try and find the right answer...

"Excuse me, Kagioh-kun?"

Roxas' eyes shot forward, seeing that he wasn't alone. With an umbrella to shield her from the rain, Namine Kanzaki approached him from the other side of the street. She was the young artist who had been stalked on her art blog by a deranged fan, who of course turned out to possess a Materia Key and turned into a Heartless to attack the girl when things didn't go his way. Namine had turned to Roxas and his brother to help resolve the situation and – through X-Zeed – they thankfully were able to. In the end, Namine had gotten herself more and more involved in the strange world of Roxas and his brother Sora, proving to be a valuable ally and friend.

If there was any one person in the world Roxas wanted to see right now, it was her.

"What on earth on you doing out in this weather without any cover?"

Namine hopped off the street onto the curb of the sidewalk, taking great care to skip around the puddles forming on the street. The first thing Namine did after clearing the distance between him and her was hold her umbrella up so that it shielded both of them from the downpour. Concern was plainly alight in her big blue eyes.

"...It's nothing Kanzaki. Nothing to concern yourself with." Came Roxas' delayed replied, his gaze purposefully averting Namine's own. "I just need to go for a walk to clear my head and got caught in the rain." Namine quietly studied Roxas – his face and his body – before responding.

"Well, would your head stay clear if you came to my apartment to dry off? It wouldn't do the city any good if it's hero came down with a cold, now would it?"

Roxas shook his head, trying to his glum expression. "No. No it wouldn't." He suppose this wasn't the worse thing in the world, running into Namine. She was quiet and smart and perceptive. He hadn't been able to settle his heart on his own, maybe speaking with a person like her would provide him with some answers. Some comfort.

Roxas made the gesture for her to lead the way, which Namine did so happily, the two matching pace as to stay under the cover of her umbrella.

"But, if I may ask, Kanzaki, what exactly made you go out in weather like this?"

"I didn't go out, I sort of got caught in it." Shyly, Namine lifted up a canvas bag she was carrying in her left hand. "I was thinking... it's been so long since we've been together, I thought it would be nice to have lunch with you and Sora-kun and Kairi-san..."

"I see..." It was rare that Roxas let himself be swayed by sentiment, but everything Namine had said was true. It had been some time since she had visited. And lunch with her and the others would have been an enjoyable experiences. Much moreso than his current crisis. "Maybe another day, then."

The two made their way through the rain, largely in silence, back to the shelter of Namine's apartment.

**(~R/N~)**

It actually did a world of good for Roxas to get out of the rain and out of his wet clothes. Sure, he didn't feel it at the time being, but the cold and wet still did effect his physical well being. Still, things were certainly a little awkward...

Namine obviously lacked any clothing fit for him to wear, and her apartment lacked a machine dryer to quickly heat his clothes up, and so Roxas was forced to sit in his still soaked-through boxers and undershirt while his shirt, jacket, pants, and socks were all hung up in Namine's bathroom, and his transformation gear – his Zeed Driver and Materia Keys – sitting neatly on top of her coffee table. More than a little awkward, to be true. But, at least he was provided a large, fluffy towel to cover up and keep warm.

"Here. I made some drinks." Namine came shuffling out of her kitchen, carrying two steaming ceramic mugs with her. "I don't know which you prefer, so I made coffee and tea. Your pick." The artistic girl offered each mug to her guest in turn.

Roxas chose the coffee, muttering his thanks. Not because he had a particular fondness for the drink, mind, but because he knew Namine hated coffee and preferred tea.

Sitting in silence, with Namine sitting on the arm of the couch Roxas was on – the arm farthest away from Roxas – both blonds sipped on their drinks, Roxas eyes constantly flickering between the surface of the steaming brown liquid and his host. In truth, he absolutely did want to speak to someone about what was eating him. But... he didn't want that someone to be Sora or Kairi. And he didn't know how to start. How to properly verbalize these secrets.

After all, how do you tell someone you might not be human?

Eventually, with Roxas constantly looking at her, Namine picked up on the hint. "That serial bomber in the news... he's a Heartless, isn't he?" She finally asked, setting down her half-empty mug of tea. "Is that what's bothering you? I saw some injuries when you were undressing..." Roxas flinched. He had done his best to keep the half-healed wounds covered, but clearly Namine was too perceptive to be fooled.

"That...not exactly." Roxas set aside his drink and sighed. This was it. Now or never. He had trouble trusting people besides his brother, but if there was someone else he could place his faith in, then it was Namine Kanzaki. "It's... I learned something earlier, and it's..." He shied away, partially burying his face in his hand. He was on the edge of confession, but this was just too difficult.

Namine, however, did not give up on her friend.

Moving from the arm of the couch to the seat, Namine placed a reassuring hand on Roxas' arm. "Whatever it is, Kagioh-kun, I'm here for you. I'll help you just like you helped me."

Roxas dropped his hand, seeing the earnest and supportive sheen in Namine's eyes. He never understood why, but he always felt at ease staring into those crystalline irises.

Taking a deep breath, Roxas steeled himself, thankful for the twist of fate that brought this sweet girl into his life.

"I always suspected that there might be something up with us. With Sora and I." Roxas began, his voice suddenly very dry and raspy, Namine holding on to his every word. "The fact that I could never find baby pictures or records of us – nothing before we turned ten at least – and that Sora has his amnesia... the more and more we dealt with the Organization and whatever they were planning, and the more we fought together as X-Zeed, the more I was convinced Sora wasn't... well, Sora. That he was a clone or something like that." His hands felt clammy. His stomach twisted into knots. He thought that if he wasn't sitting down, his knees would give out. But this was the point of no return. Roxas had to say it aloud.

"But I was wrong. I'm... Kanzaki, I don't think I'm human."

The words crashed down into the small apartment with all the gravity of a collapsing star. Roxas stared unerringly at Namine, desperate and afraid of what her reaction might be. Her mouth tightened, her eyes widened, but she otherwise remained perfectly still. And, more importantly, the expression held within her eyes had not changed. She wanted Roxas to continue.

"I don't know exactly what I am... a copy made from Sora, or just a fully artificial being, but... this unsettles me. No, I'm terrified, Kanzaki! I've never been this afraid in my entire life. Just what am I? What's going to happen to me?" Roxas' breath hitched, his hands now shaking. He clasped them together to stop it. He continued to ramble, asking questions which had no answer, as his voice grew quieter and quieter.

All the while, Namine kept quiet and listened, her eyes not leaving the form of the wounded hero.

Roxas swallowed a lump in his throat. He wanted to hear what Namine had to say in response. Afraid of what she had to say. Anxious. Eager. That torrent of emotions was back, storming and whirling in his heart and being.

Finally, after what seemed like an entirety, Namine shut her eyes and spoke.

"My parents both died when I was very little, I don't even remember them, really. Other than my mother had hair just like mine and was always happy." Namine's voice was even and calm, as if she had told this story many times before, or, perhaps, that she had made peace with such tragedy. But, why was she tell him this story? Roxas couldn't help but wonder. Regardless, he did not interrupt Namine as she continued to speak.

"Then, my adopted father... at first, he was quite nice. Distant, maybe, but he treated me well. Things took a turn when I was around eight or nine, though. That distance turned into dislike. Hatred. He abused me. Locked me in my room, deprived me of food, made me the subject of his...experiments." Now Namine's tone had gone from calm to cold. Icily detached. As if she wasn't even speaking about herself and her own life. It was disturbingly eerie, almost. "It was hell. I thought I was going to die. Or that the only way out would be to take my own life. But, somehow – I'm still not entirely sure how I managed it – I was able to run away. I ran away and came to Suito and I've been on my own since I was fifteen."

Namine opened her eyes, iridescent blue eyes now looking right back at the still unsure and hurt Roxas.

"And, ever since then, my life has just been one continuous routine to survive. To stay afloat. Go to work, sometimes trying to hold two jobs at once, and then come home and work on my art, trying to make that a career. Over and over. Year after year. I just kept moving, never stopping, never thinking about anything else. Never even opening up to or befriending anyone. Thinking that I would only end up being hurt again, no matter what." Namine's voice was now beginning to rise, in both volume and it's tenor. "But... that all changed on that day we met. Despite all those years of loneliness and closing myself off to the world, I was in need of help, and I was given it, by people who liked me for me, and didn't want me to be shut off from the world. When I met you and Sora-kun and Kairi-san."

Namine suddenly stood up, hands balled tightly into fists, fierce passion entering her demeanour. "I know that you're hurt, Kagioh-kun. You're suffering and afraid and confused. I know because I've been through that before, myself. Maybe my pain is different from yours, but I know the solution is the same! I thought I was broken, beyond broken, but you helped me realize it doesn't matter where you come from or who or what you are, it matters what you do with your life and the people you have in your life.

"You may not be human, you may not know what you are exactly, but I know what you are to me. You're my friend, Roxas! And I want to help you, however I can!"

Roxas blinked in start at Namine's impassioned speech, while the girl in question took a few shaky steps back and blushed. Roxas knew exactly why she was feeling sheepish in the moment.

She had referred to him by his name. His given name.

Roxas never let anyone (save Sora) refer to him by his given name. Only his surname. It was his preferred method of address, and he never let anyone else refer to him by any other way.

Namine knew this, and looked mortified she had committed this faux pas, but Roxas didn't feel irritated or annoyed, oddly enough. Instead, his heart felt at ease for the first time since learning this truth. He felt calm. Peaceful. Warm.

Before Namine could apology, Roxas stood up, the blanket slipping off his body. "Thank you. Thank you very much." He managed to say, stiffly, a slight smile slipping through. "It means a lot to hear that. To know that I mean that much to you. And..." Roxas paused, reflecting on the past year of his life. Becoming X-Zeed with his brother. Fighting the monsters that threatened the innocents of Suito. Learning about himself and his brother and the others in his life. Those memories, they felt good, and he did his best to capture that feeling.

"And I think you're right. That all that matters is what I do and how I do it, not where I come from." Roxas put a friendly hand on Namine's shoulder, the brief amount of contact causing the girl to flush red. "Thank you, Namine."

Once again, Namine stared in surprise. Just like how Roxas preferred to be addressed by only his surname, he only ever spoke to others (except, again, his brother) by their surnames. He had always called Namine "Kanzaki".

This was the first time she had every heard him use his name.

Namine herself seemed overwhelmed, but, to Roxas, this seemed a longtime coming. There was something about Namine, some sort of spark he felt between him and her, that he felt she deserved more from him...

The two stood in absolute quiet again, just basking in the moment of their company, their connect. Namine rested both her hands over Roxas' own and drew closer to him. Roxas moved closer, too, putting his free hand on her hip. It felt right. Good. In this moment, this was what he wanted.

"Roxas! Roxas!" A muffled voice called from beyond the door, before the entryway burst open, Sora Kagioh practically falling into the apartment. "What gotta move man! Kairi figured out where that Heartless has been hiding and -" Sora collected himself, standing up, and then becoming utterly thunderstruck by seeing his brother and Namine practically embracing, Roxas still in just his boxers and undershirt. "Oh, uh, sorry, am I interrupting something?"

Immediately, both Roxas and Namine cleared their throats, taking their hands off of one another. They turned to face Sora, but still stood quiet close to one another.

"Uh... no, Sora-kun. It's fine." Namine shook her head furiously. "I just found Ro – your brother wandering in the rain and invited him to dry off." She then positioned herself so she could address both brothers simultaneously. "But that's not important now. You have to stop that Heartless before he hurts anyone else!"

Roxas nodded. That was his duty after all. He was the hero this city needed, regardless of where he came from. "She's right, Sora. We have work to do." Roxas reached out to grab the Zeed Driver, but Sora held out his hands, shouting him down and stopping him.

"Maybe put on some pants first, bro."

Roxas grimaced, embarrassed. "Right. Good idea."

He quickly changed back into his pants, feeling even more uncomfortable now then when he was out in the rainstorm. Why was it that half-dry, half-damp clothing felt worse than completely soaked clothing? Roxas banished such a silly thought from his head, as he and Sora positioned themselves so they were standing parallel to each other, giving themselves as much open space as they could manage in Namine's cozy little apartment.

Roxas slammed the Zeed Driver onto his body, just under his navel, as a belt strap shot out of one end of the boxy device, snaking around his waist, before perfectly hooking into the opposite end. At this was happening, an identical Driver materialized out of thin air around Sora's waist. Both brothers then took hold of a Materia Key before driving them downward, perfectly fitting into the slots on the driver – Roxas' into the right indentation, and Sora's into the left.

In a flash of bright light, an identical Key appeared in the left slot of Roxas' Driver, the blond man forcibly slamming both Keys further into their slots, causing the booming voice of the Driver to resound with _**"ZEPHYR! TIGER!"**_

Then, Roxas took his hand to the right side of the belt, taking a hold of the motorcycle-like throttle, revving it twice. A jazzy and energetic musical beat began to sound from the Driver, the Materia Keys shining like stars, as a halo of energy formed around the Kagioh brothers.

Together, Sora and Roxas struck identical poses and declaring "_Henshin!_" before they both gripped onto the throttle, revving it for a third time, as the music reached it's crescendo.

"_**Get ready for the cross! Aero Fighter~!"**_

A swirling torrent of light engulfed Roxas, as Sora's body dissipated away into motes of light, becoming one with his brother. The torrent solidified, starting at Roxas' feet and working it's way, slowly forming into a brightly coloured exo-suit. Divided down the middle along the prime meridian and into two clean, contrasting sections – orange for the right side and sky blue for the left, with a great big X decal placed over the masked helmet, two great big red compound eyes dominating the surface of the mask.

As the transformation finished Roxas – or rather, the combined X-Zeed, turned to face Namine, striking a sheepish pose, left hand scratching at his cheek. "Uh... sorry about that. The transformation sequence is bit too bombastic for indoors, isn't it?" Came Sora's voice, as the left eye of the mask blinked in time with the cadence of his voice.

"Uh... it's fine." Namine said. "Better than the two of you doing it out in the open."

"Right." X-Zeed nodded, speaking in Roxas' voice, with the right eye flashing now. "What you said today... I'll keep those words close to my heart. I'll remember them while I fight for this city. For the people. Thank you, Namine."

With that, the combined Kagioh brothers stormed off, moving out of the apartment at high-speed. It would be best to make their exit in a hasty manner; didn't want anyone seeing the hero of Suito out and about and leaving someone's actual home. It would just raise too many questions regarding who they were and what connection they had to Namine.

Outside, the rain had let up, from torrential downpour to light drizzle, as if the weather and the state of Roxas' heart were connected. The storm had subsided, and the tumultuous emotions had settled down.

But Roxas didn't have time to dwell on such poetic thoughts. Together, he and Sora made it to their motorcycle – which Sora had clearly used to travel here and find him – and quickly started the engine of the machine, ready to speed away, but they were stopped when a voice called out to them.

"Roxas! Roxas!" They turned to find Namine standing on the balcony of the apartment complex, shouting down to them – or to Roxas, in particular – regardless of who may be watching or listening. "Don't forget, no matter what happens, you're not a monster, you're a hero! And, more importantly, you're a wonderful person who is very precious to me!"

Touched by her words, Roxas didn't necessarily know how to respond. Namine... she was someone very special. When the battle was over, when the fighting was over, he would have to repay her kindness and faith. Somehow.

For the time being, however, Roxas just simply waved at the girl, before zooming off down the city streets.

"So, you wanna tell me about what happened there?" Sora chirped as their collective body sped along.

"Not really, Sora." Was Roxas' reply. Terse and short, trying to move beyond this topic.

"Well, I mean she called you by your name, and you didn't even freak out..."

"Sora..."

"And you called her 'Namine'. You don't even call Kairi by her first name..."

"Sora..."

"Is there... something going on between you two? 'Cause I'm totally behind it if there is."

Roxas sighed. There was no point trying to deny any of this. Not when they were like this. They were two hearts sharing one body, intrinsically connected. "Let's just... focus on the task at hand. We'll talk about this later. After we're finished here."

The city of Suito. A city on the brink of darkness, but a city worth protecting. X-Zeed was the hero the city and the people needed now, and Roxas would do whatever it took to live up to that responsibility. Whether he was human or not, regardless of the truth of his origin. He would protect all those in danger. No matter what challenges he would face.

Because, as he was beginning to learn, he had the faith and love of one important person to drive him forward.

* * *

_Don't all my entries count for AU Day? Seeing as how I just completely ignore KH III?_

_I had a couple of ideas for an AU, but in the end, I went with a Kamen Rider AU, probably because Zi-O just ended and Zero One just started (Zero One's premiere was really good, btw) and I'm in the mood. X-Zeed isn't wholly original, sort of a riff off of both Build and W, but I like the concept of Sora and Roxas as brothers joining forces together._

_And, before anyone says it, I know "Kagioh" is not a proper Japanese surname (it is literally comes out as "Key King" or "King of Keys") but I couldn't resist such on the nose theme naming for our boys. And I wanted to play with Japanese naming conventions and familiarity, regarding how Roxas addresses people. Hope that part makes sense._

_Regardless, one last day to go. See you then folks!_


	7. Fates Intertwined

**Fates Intertwined**

Sometimes, in moments of doubt, frustration, and depression, an unwanted question would enter Namine's mind. And no matter what she did, she could not permanently rid herself of this question. It would always creep back, in the most inopportune of moments.

"Do I love Roxas because I love Roxas, or because Kairi loves Sora?"

**(~R/N~)**

The experience of having your heart and consciousness slumber within another person was strange, to say the least.

For the most part, during the time Namine was within Kairi, it was as if she was in a dreamless sleep. Without consciousness or awareness or thought. Only brief interludes of alertness would break this dark doldrum, where Namine would view some sort of memory buried within her other's heart. Or, in even rarer moments, Namine would be privy to Kairi's actual thoughts and emotions and sensations. To see through her eyes and hear through her ears.

One of those moments came a year after the Organization fell. Leon was giving a grand tour of the newly refurbished castle in Radiant Garden, leading Sora, Kairi, and Riku around the grand palace. Eventually, the party made their way down to the basement, to an all too familiar spot.

It had changed very much in the intervening years, but everyone couldn't forget this room. This specific basement chamber. The events that took place therein were indelibly burned into their memories.

This was the chamber where Sora fought the possessed Riku. Where he learned that he had been carrying Kairi's hear the entire time. Where he took the Keyblade and stabbed himself, freeing her heart, but casting his body in nothingness.

And, from that specific action, Roxas and Namine were born.

Namine had never thought of that before. That from Sora's love and willingness to sacrifice his life for Kairi's, she and her beloved were created. That from the moment of their creation, they were connected by forces greater than they could imagine.

Part of Namine swelled with pride and joy at the thought. No matter how long and twisted the path, it meant the two of them always belonged together. That they were meant to find each other.

But, another part of herself felt ill at the implication. That, from the very beginning of her existence, she was bound to another, someone she didn't even know. That Namine was always a pawn of fate, with no voice or agency in her life.

Namine's consciousness faded back into the abyss, as she chewed on that thought. As that question rose up again.

"Do I love Roxas because I love Roxas, or because Kairi loves Sora?"

**(~R/N~)**

Roxas was the first person Namine saw when she woke up from her revival.

To be entirely fair, the room was crowded with others. Sora, Kairi, Riku, King Mickey. All there, all crowded around her in anticipation. But Roxas was the first of them to enter her vision.

The moment she woke up and spoke – confirming the revival method had been successful – everyone erupted into smiles and cheers. Most of all Roxas. He looked like he was brought to the edge of tears; Namine could never imagine a person could be that happy. And she couldn't deny the soaring sensation in her soul when she set her eyes upon Roxas, once more, at long last. To hear his voice. To be able to hug him – to be able to touch his actual body.

After making sure everything was okay with Namine and her new body, the party departed to celebrate the return of their dear friend. Sora's family had prepared a feast for the collective. For her.

Admittedly, it may have been the first good meal Namine had ever had in the entirety of her existence. Everything was delicious and she was allowed to eat as much as she want.

Everyone was so friendly, too. Well, she had expected Sora and Kairi and Riku to show her nothing by the utmost kindness, but Sora's mother and father and sisters and Kairi's mother all welcomed her with open arms. It was wonderful, almost dreamlike.

But then...

At times, Namine couldn't help but shake the feeling that expectations of her had already been painted. She was purposefully sat next to Roxas at the dinner table, and would constantly catch Sora or Kairi or Sora's mom or his little sister Fuka staring at the two of them. Smiling at them. Not at her or Roxas. Them. As if they were already a couple.

Later, she learned that, yes, Roxas had spent some time talking her up to his new family in the period between his revival and hers. And it was truly lovely to hear Roxas describe her as as this "quiet and creative soul; sweet and beautiful and talented", and, yes, when Roxas did ask her out on their first date a few weeks later, she said yes. And they had a wonderful time. They kept having a wonderful time.

But the shadows kept creeping into her mind.

Was everyone else in on this conspiracy? Were her sister and her friends complicit, too?

She shouldn't be thinking like this. To think so little of the people who loved her and only wanted the best for her and Roxas.

So, once more, Namine tried her best to ignore the question, and moved on with her life, her relationship, and her love, as best she could.

**(~R/N~)**

"Stupid, stupid, stupid! Why did I do that? Why!? You're the worst, Namine!"

Nightfall had arrived on Twilight Town (Namine would never not be a little surprised that the sun could actually set on the sleepy little town) but the night did not bring peace with it. Not for Namine, at least.

She had retreated the silent sanctuary of the top of the town's clock tower, beating herself up – physically and mentally. Slapping herself across the cheek. Pulling at her hair. Throwing insults and harsh invenctives at herself. She felt rotten. Horrible. Miserable. The absolute worst person in all the worlds.

"I knew this would happen eventually! I can never have anything good in my life! It all rots away before long..."

Her depression and anxiety had been getting the best of her the past few weeks. Namine did her best to put on a brave face in front of others, but it was getting harder and harder with each passing day. Roxas had been acting coy on something, and Namine knew better than anyone that when Roxas was being secretive, it meant he was planning something big. Furthermore, he wasn't like this around the others. Only her.

Roxas was planning something big involving her. Them. Their relationship.

The question kept creeping into her mind during the quietest moments of her life. Whenever she was alone. When she slept and dreamed. Horrifying and surreal visions would enter her mind, of her and Roxas just being puppets on strings, controlled by the whims of fate. Of her transforming into Kairi, losing all semblance of herself and being just a copy of her sister. Namine trying to forge her own path in life, but all roads leading back to Roxas, whether she wanted to her not.

She hated it. She hated the fact that maybe she wasn't in control of her own life. She hated that, no matter how she felt about Roxas, the fact that her love might not be her own...

Namine buried her her face in her hands and let out a muffle sob, feeling the teardrops touch her palm.

Roxas had been looking at apartments, on Twilight Town, on the Islands, and on Radiant Garden. He had asked her how she felt about getting a place for their own. About moving in together. That's what he had been planning, what he had been hiding.

He had asked her that while they were on their date tonight. Really, the question was mundane. Something any couple would do at a certain point in their relationship.

But for Namine, it was too much. Roxas' request was enormous. Monumental. Impossible. Too much.

Her will, weakened by her battles with her own depression, fully broke. Panic gripped her heart, as she fled from the outdoor movie theatre. She must of look like a complete fool when she did. Roxas must hate her now. After all, she hated herself.

_I was a fool to think anyone could love me, when I don't even like myself..._

"Namine."

Namine nearly slipped off the edge of the tower and to her own demise, when she heard Roxas' quiet voice cut through her own quiet sobs. There he was, in the flesh, not looking hateful or scornful, but concerned and worried. "Are you okay, Nam?"

"Y-yeah... I'm fine..." Namine sniffled, lying pitifully. "I'm just a little tired is all... stressed out..." She turned away, even as she heard Roxas' footfalls grow closer to her location.

"Please, Namine, please tell me what's wrong." Roxas sat down next to her, but was mindful not to touch her. He didn't want to overstep his boundaries and spook her again. "I can't stand you seeing like this..."

"Nothing is wrong, Roxy..." She figured using her little petname for him would be enough to disarm him. "I'm telling you, I just need some time to myself..." To emphasize her point and hopefully bring this to rest, Namine turned to face her boyfriend and painted on a smile.

Unfortunately, her eyes were red and full of tears, which Roxas immediately saw.

"Please don't lie to me, Nam..." Very gently, Roxas brushed away the welling tears with his thumb. "Back at the theatre, you turned as pale as a ghost. And I don't think I've ever seen you run that fast. I get that what I asked was big, but... it's okay. It's okay if you're not ready or whatever. I'm not upset or anything."

"No, Roxas, that's not..." Namine pulled away from his hands, shaking her head. "Roxas... do you love me?"

Roxas looked at her as if she had said the most utterly ridiculous thing in the world.

"...Of course I do, Nami. Whatever makes you think I don't?"

"It's not that I don't think that, it's just, do you know you love me because you love me, or just because Sora loves Kairi?" Roxas looked deeply confused at the question, tilting his head at his girlfriend. Namine swallowed her guilt and fear, and squeaked out in a tiny voice, "Because... I don't know if I do. Whether I know or not, why I love you..."

Roxas sat quietly for a moment. A long moment. Eyes cast downward as he contemplated Namine's dilemma. "Well, I love you because you're you, Namine. You're smart and creative and generous. You're one of the sweetest and kindest people around. You always try to see the best in people, to show them kindness, even when I don't think they deserve it. Whenever you come up to a task, you always try your hardest, even when you're afraid or shy or outmatched. And you're beautiful, too, of course. Your smile and your eyes never fail to brighten my day.

"But, I think the reason why I love you the most is... you were the first person that showed me kindness. Who liked me, not for what I was, but for who I am. You showed my kindness at a time when people only ever saw me as a tool."

The tears had returned to Namine's eyes, as her head sunk down in shame. Of course Roxas wouldn't share these doubts. Of course he believed in himself, in his heart, in her. Roxas was always a million times better than her. At times, she felt like she was unworthy of his love and devotion and –

Roxas threw his arms around Namine, pulling her into himself, cradling her head against his shoulder.

"And maybe I don't have an answer to your question. Maybe I don't know where these feelings come from. If they're mine or if they're someone else's." Roxas gently rubbed Namine's back, as she instinctively cuddled further into her boyfriend's arms, doing her best to fight back her tears and snobs. "But I want to know, and there's only one real way I can think of to find out..."

The two ex-Nobodies held each other, long into the night, Namine exhausting herself by crying into Roxas' chest, until she could cry no more. Roxas never once let go of her.

**(~R/N~)**

In the end, Namine had to agree with Roxas. There was only one way for her to find the truth to the question that loomed over her heart for so long. She wouldn't divine the truth be running away and hiding. Did she love Roxas because she loved Roxas, or because Kairi loved Sora?

Well, her quest for the truth only had one logical conclusion...

Namine fiddled with her crown of flowers – grown and woven by none other than herself – while doing a once over in the mirror, desperate to make sure everything was picture perfect. "Well, now or never I suppose." She wasn't sure about perfection, but it was close enough. Hopefully it was good enough. "You ready, Riku?" Namine said, turning to face her friend, who was adjusting the tie of his suit.

"I should be asking you that question, Nam." Riku said coolly, before eyeing the blonde up and down. "You do look radiant, though."

"Do I?" Namine flashed an unsure smile, smoothing out the skirt of her wedding dress. She had gone with a more simplistic design – no train and with the skirt ending above her knees, poofing out in all directions, where the bodice rose up high on her chest, sheer material covering her shoulders and most of her arms – but she had fallen in love with the dress when she first laid eyes on it two months ago. "You really think?"

"No. But I was told it was customary to say that to the bride."

"You're terrible, Riku!" Namine laughed, playfully smacking Riku across the chest. "Just awful. No wonder you're still single."

Riku simply cocked his head to side and smirked. "Yeah. I guess. Whatever, not my day." Offering an arm, Riku motioned to the sole door in the dressing room. Namine linked her arm with his. "But, honestly, I'm really happy for the two of you. And, thanks for letting me give you away. It means a lot."

"Well who else would I pick?" Namine didn't really have anyone else in her life that filled a big brother or father role. Who better to walk her down the aisle than her longtime companion and friend?

Riku then added, in a quiet voice, "Just... don't tell Roxas I said all that stuff..."

Namine shook her head and sighed. "Don't worry I won't." Even if so much had changed, even if so much time had passed, somethings remained the same...

Two years had passed since that night on the clock tower, where Namine had given in to her depression and anxiety, breaking down and confessing in Roxas' arms. But, after that, Namine found her resolve to move forward and find what she was seeking. Soon after, the two had bought an apartment for themselves on Twilight Town, a cozy little place they could call their own. And of course, there were trials and growing pains, but Namine soon came to love sharing a home with her boyfriend. She loved waking up every morning next to Roxas. Being able to share almost every meal. Not having to arrange times to see each other.

Their lives progressed from their. Plenty of ups, plenty of downs. But it was Namine's life. It was Roxas' life. Their choices and decisions. The darkness of the question seemed to grow lesser and less with each passing month.

So, four months ago, when Roxas dropped down to one knee and popped the question, when he took the next step to their relationship, Namine did not panic or flee. She embraced the love of her boyfriend, embrace her own love, and chose her fate.

They held a small wedding on the beach behind Roxas' family home, only inviting a select few of their closest friends and family. Namine still had issues with crowds, and keep things small and intimate seemed to be perfectly in-line with her and Roxas' relationship. Leave the pomp and circumstance and bombast to Sora and Kairi, Namine would take her peace and quiet any day.

Still, small or not, seeing all the people that had come together to bask in their happiness meant the world to Namine. Sora and Kairi were there – of course – as Best Man and Maid of Honour, respectively, and all of their family members gathered. Terra and Aqua and Ventus had made time out of their busy schedule to attend, along with Hayner, Pence, and Olette, and a myriad of friends and allies from the Radiant Garden. King Mickey himself had arrived to perform the ceremony.

But, beyond all of them, at the end of the aisle, before the altar, was Roxas, looking devilishly sharp in his tuxedo. And then, when he caught sight of Namine, his entire face lit up.

Namine and Riku strode their way down the carpeted path laid atop the sandy beach, Namine taking extra long strides partly to keep up with the taller man linked with her, but also because she was that eager to tie the knot with the man of her life.

Roxas delivered his vows first, speaking of his fidelity and loyalty to his beloved, and how much Namine meant to him. It took all of her willpower not to burst out into tear of joys during his speech.

Then, after all that, it was here turn.

"Roxas... Roxas..." Namine took a deep breath to steady herself. This was it. She had found the answer. Now it was time to banish away those fears once and for all. "I don't know if I can put into words how much you mean to me. How glad I am that I get to be here, with you, on this day. But I know one thing. For the longest time, I was haunted by a question. 'Do I love you because I love you, or do I love you because Kairi loves Sora'? Because we're not normal people; we were born from another. We began our lives as extensions of them. And, so, for the longest time, I couldn't tell if what I felt from you came from me or from somewhere else. I thought that, because of what we were, our fates were pre-written for us. That no matter what we did, or what we wanted, we would be forced to be together. And that terrified me. It made me weaker. It made me suffer. But, of course, when I needed help the most, you were there for me. You didn't know the answer, either, but you told me 'There's only one way for us to find out'."

Namine looked deeply into Roxas' eyes, remembering the day Sora returned to the Islands. The day he and Kairi were reunited. All four of their hearts resonated at that moment, as Sora looked up Kairi, and Roxas looked upon Namine.

"That was two years ago. Along time ago. And I think, because of all the time we've spent together, before and now and after, I know. I know without a doubt. Our fates and destinies are bound together because that's what we want. I love you, Roxas Kido, because I love you! There's nothing else to it."

And, in the end, that's all there was to it.

Regardless of where they came from, or how they were born, Roxas loved Namine. Namine loved Roxas.

As the sun crested down across the horizon, bathing the wedding party in splendid twilight, Mickey pronounced the two husband and wife. Together, where they truly belonged.

Roxas and Namine embraced and kissed, and all was right in the world.

* * *

_And there we go! RokuNami week is done!_

_I went with a bit more of an introspective choice this time because I think this is one of my favourite parts about the RokuNami relationship: the psychology. The idea that they are others to people who are in love, so is their love theirs or does it belong to their original selves? And does it matter whether the connection is theirs or someone elses?_

_All in all, in comparison this to SoKai Week, I think I am more happy with the latter. I felt I was more ambitious with SoKai Week (ironically, seeing as how I had so much more time to write these stories) especially with the continuous narrative running through the stories. And I might have indulged in too much fluff, particularly Days 4 and 5. But I'm still happy with how this went._

_Anyways, enough of my ramblings, thank you everyone for sticking around for these stories. And a big, big, BIG thank you to everyone in the RokuNami community for hosting this wonderful event._

_Until next time, thanks again, and cheers!_


End file.
